Who isn’t tired of Disney princesses?
Jake Gosselin is for one. That’s part of the reason he and his wife, Laura, created The Pinkaboos, a girl-powered adventure series designed to help children ages 7 to 10 conquer their fears and self doubt. He speaks about his work and inspiration, and how they hope to develop a more evolved approach to writing for and about girls on the latest Modern Dads Podcast.
According to his website, the Pinkaboos takes place in The Land of Frights, where best friends Bitterly, Abyssma, and Belladonna attend Fright School, a magical academy that teaches young Frights how to enter the dreams of little human girls and help them overcome their nightmares. These strong, independent female characters face issues that girls can relate to, like dealing with bullies and not fitting in.
“We were also exhausted of the media available to her as we navigated through the minefields of princesses, Bratz Dolls, Tinkerbell, Sleeping Beauty … and all the other warped depictions of the female experience targeted at young girls. So we created a new world for our little girl to love,” he and his wife state on their website. “In the world of The Pinkaboos, there are no love interests or ‘happily ever afters’ courtesy of marriage. No one is saved by true love’s kiss. In the world of The Pinkaboos, little girls fight their fears and learn how to be brave.”
The books have received positive reviews, notably from Kirkus Reviews: “A compelling story that just might teach young readers something about facing their fears of things that go ‘bump’ in the night.”
Jake Gosselin grew up in Canada, where he spent his youth battling frost giants, tricking evil spirits and talking to wolves. None of this can be proven, but it should be noted that a frost giant hasn’t been seen since 1982, according to his official biography. He and his wife live in California with their daughter, Molly, and dog, Chewbacca.
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